Career and Education Opportunities for Medical Assistants in Tampa, Florida

There is a wide variety of career and education opportunities for medical assistants in the Tampa, Florida area. About 31,040 people are currently employed as medical assistants in Florida. By 2016, this is expected to grow 42% to about 43,930 people employed. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for medical assistants are expected to grow by about 33.9%. In general, medical assistants perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of physician.

A person working as a medical assistant can expect to earn about $13 per hour or $27,480 yearly on average in Florida and about $13 per hour or $28,300 per year on average in the U.S. as a whole. Earnings for medical assistants are better than earnings in the general category of Medical and Dental Assistance in Florida and not quite as good as general Medical and Dental Assistance category earnings nationally. Medical assistants work in a variety of jobs, including: optometrist assistant, certified ophthalmic technician , and health unit clerk.

There are fifty-four schools of higher education in the Tampa area, including twenty-three within twenty-five miles of Tampa where you can get a degree to start your career as a medical assistant. Medical assistants usually hold a high school diploma or GED, so you can expect to spend only a short time training to become a medical assistant if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, medical assistants perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of physician. They also administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding for insurance purposes.

Medical assistants ready treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean. They also interview clients to obtain medical data and measure their vital signs and height. Equally important, medical assistants have to show clients to examination rooms and ready them for the physician. They are often called upon to help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments and materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures. They are expected to record patients' medical history, vital statistics and data such as test results in medical archives. Finally, medical assistants greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.

Every day, medical assistants are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for medical assistants to inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies and apparatus. They are often called upon to change dressings on wounds. They also contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission. They are sometimes expected to run routine laboratory tests and sample analyses. Somewhat less frequently, medical assistants are also expected to greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.

Medical assistants sometimes are asked to keep financial reports and execute other bookkeeping duties. They also have to be able to execute general office duties such as answering telephones, taking dictation or completing insurance forms and clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies. And finally, they sometimes have to authorize drug refills and furnish prescription data to pharmacies.

Like many other jobs, medical assistants must be thorough and dependable and be able to deal with stress and deal with situations calmly.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Medical Assistant Training

Central Florida College - Largo, FL

Central Florida College, 6565 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33771. Central Florida College is a small college located in Largo, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 175 students. Central Florida College has a one to two year and an associate's degree program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated seven and nine students respectively in 2008.

Remington College-Tampa Campus - Tampa, FL

Remington College-Tampa Campus, 2410 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-8410. Remington College-Tampa Campus is a small college located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 273 students and an admission rate of 63%. Remington College-Tampa Campus has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, less than one year which graduated 22 students in 2008.

Medical/Clinical Assistant, less than one year which graduated 70 students in 2008.

D G Erwin Technical Center - Tampa, FL

D G Erwin Technical Center, 2010 E Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33610-8255. D G Erwin Technical Center is a small school located in Tampa, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 847 students. D G Erwin Technical Center has a one to two year program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated thirty-nine students in 2008.

Brewster Technical Center - Tampa, FL

Brewster Technical Center, 2222 N Tampa St, Tampa, FL 33602-2196. Brewster Technical Center is a small school located in Tampa, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 247 students. Brewster Technical Center has a one to two year program in Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary which graduated seventeen students in 2008.

Sanford-Brown Institute - Tampa, FL

Sanford-Brown Institute, 5701 E. Hillsborough Ave. Suite 1417, Tampa, FL 33610-5428. Sanford-Brown Institute is a small school located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 845 students. Sanford-Brown Institute has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, one to two year which graduated 51 students in 2008.

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other Specialties, one to two year which graduated 157 students in 2008.

Ultimate Medical Academy - Clearwater, FL

Ultimate Medical Academy, 1218 Court St Ste C, Clearwater, FL 33756. Ultimate Medical Academy is a small school located in Clearwater, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 466 students. Ultimate Medical Academy has a less than one year program in Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder which graduated five students in 2008.

FastTrain of Tampa - Tampa, FL

FastTrain of Tampa, 4350 W Cypress Street-Ste 100, Tampa, FL 33607. FastTrain of Tampa is a small school located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 56 students and an admission rate of 100%. FastTrain of Tampa has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, one to two year which graduated 2 students in 2008.

Medical/Clinical Assistant, one to two year.

Everest University-Lakeland - Lakeland, FL

Everest University-Lakeland, 995 E Memorial Blvd Suite110, Lakeland, FL 33801. Everest University-Lakeland is a small university located in Lakeland, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 326 students and an admission rate of 67%. Everest University-Lakeland has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical/Clinical Assistant, less than one year and associate's degree which graduated zero and fourteen students respectively in 2008.

Career Institute of Florida - Saint Petersburg, FL

Career Institute of Florida, 701 94th Ave N, Ste 100, Saint Petersburg, FL 33702. Career Institute of Florida is a small school located in Saint Petersburg, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 179 students. Career Institute of Florida has 3 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Office Management/Administration, one to two year.

Medical Office Assistant/Specialist, one to two year which graduated 63 students in 2008.

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, one to two year which graduated 93 students in 2008.

FastTrain of Clearwater - Clearwater, FL

FastTrain of Clearwater, 29399 US Highway 19 N-Ste 104, Clearwater, FL 33761. FastTrain of Clearwater is a small school located in Clearwater, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 16 students and an admission rate of 100%. FastTrain of Clearwater has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, one to two year.

Medical/Clinical Assistant, one to two year.

Gulf Coast College - Tampa, FL

Gulf Coast College, 3910 US Hwy 301 N Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33619. Gulf Coast College is a small college located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 158 students. Gulf Coast College has a one to two year and an associate's degree program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated two and eleven students respectively in 2008.

Everest University-Brandon - Tampa, FL

Everest University-Brandon, 3924 Coconut Palm Dr, Tampa, FL 33619-1354. Everest University-Brandon is a medium sized university located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 1,968 students and an admission rate of 68%. Everest University-Brandon has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical/Clinical Assistant, associate's degree which graduated 11 students in 2008.

Everest University-Tampa - Tampa, FL

Everest University-Tampa, 3319 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33614. Everest University-Tampa is a small university located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 451 students and an admission rate of 74%. Everest University-Tampa has an associate's degree program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated eighteen students in 2008.

Pasco-Hernando Community College - New Port Richey, FL

Pasco-Hernando Community College, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, FL 34654-5199. Pasco-Hernando Community College is a medium sized college located in New Port Richey, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 8,602 students. Pasco-Hernando Community College has a one to two year program in Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary which graduated ten students in 2008.

Everest University-Largo - Largo, FL

Everest University-Largo, 1199 East Bay Drive, Largo, FL 33770-2556. Everest University-Largo is a small university located in Largo, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 288 students and an admission rate of 67%. Everest University-Largo has an associate's degree program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated twenty-four students in 2008.

Florida Career College - Clearwater, FL

Florida Career College, 410 Park Place Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33759. Florida Career College is a small college located in Clearwater, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 784 students. Florida Career College has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, one to two year and associate's degree which graduated ninety-seven and zero students respectively in 2008.

Medical/Clinical Assistant, one to two year and associate's degree which graduated eighty-nine and zero students respectively in 2008.

Hillsborough Community College - Tampa, FL

Hillsborough Community College, 39 Columbia Drive, Tampa, FL 33606-3584. Hillsborough Community College is a large college located in Tampa, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 24,037 students. Hillsborough Community College has an associate's degree program in Optomeric Technician/Assistant.

Rasmussen College-Pasco County - Holiday, FL

Rasmussen College-Pasco County, 2127 Grand Blvd, Holiday, FL 34690-4554. Rasmussen College-Pasco County is a small college located in Holiday, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 548 students. Rasmussen College-Pasco County has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical/Clinical Assistant, one to two year and associate's degree which graduated seven and fifteen students respectively in 2008.

Central Florida Institute - Palm Harbor, FL

Central Florida Institute, 30522 US Hwy 19 N Ste 300, Palm Harbor, FL 34684-0000. Central Florida Institute is a small school located in Palm Harbor, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 598 students. Central Florida Institute has a one to two year program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated 100 students in 2008.

Concorde Career Institute - Tampa, FL

Concorde Career Institute, 4202 W Spruce, Tampa, FL 33607. Concorde Career Institute is a small school located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 559 students and an admission rate of 100%. Concorde Career Institute has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical/Clinical Assistant, less than one year which graduated 114 students in 2008.

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other Specialties, less than one year which graduated 54 students in 2008.

Remington College-Largo Campus - Largo, FL

Remington College-Largo Campus, 8550 Ulmerton Rd Unit 100, Largo, FL 33771-3842. Remington College-Largo Campus is a small college located in Largo, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 158 students and an admission rate of 64%. Remington College-Largo Campus has 2 areas of study related to Medical Assistant. They are:

Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder, less than one year which graduated 20 students in 2008.

Medical/Clinical Assistant, less than one year which graduated 73 students in 2008.

Ultimate Medical Academy-Tampa - Tampa, FL

Ultimate Medical Academy-Tampa, 9309 N Florida Ave Ste 100, Tampa, FL 33612. Ultimate Medical Academy-Tampa is a small school located in Tampa, Florida. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 539 students. Ultimate Medical Academy-Tampa has a less than one year program in Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder which graduated nine students in 2008.

Pinellas Technical Education Center - Saint Petersburg, FL

Pinellas Technical Education Center, 901 34th St S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33711-2209. Pinellas Technical Education Center is a small school located in Saint Petersburg, Florida. It is a public school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 875 students. Pinellas Technical Education Center has a one to two year program in Medical/Clinical Assistant which graduated ten students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Medical Assistant:
The CMA (AAMA) is considered the gold standard of medical assisting professionalism.

Certified Coding Associate:
American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) recognizes that the demand for coders has never been greater, and this need is expected to continue for some years to come.

Medical Assistant:
A Medical Assistant (MA) is an integral member of the health care delivery team, qualified by education and experience to work in the administrative office, the examining room and the physician office laboratory.

Medical LabTechnician:
All laboratory professionals, including Medical Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technicians and Medical Laboratory Assistants have long played a vital role in the diagnosis and prevention of disease.

Donor Phlebotomy Technician:
This certification is for current Phlebotomy Technicians who take blood from patients for testing or for a blood bank, prepare samples for testing, and carry out those tests.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida photo by Caltrop

Tampa is located in Hillsborough County, Florida. It has a population of over 340,882, which has grown by 12.3% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Tampa, 95, is near the national average. New single-family homes in Tampa are valued at $188,700 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, six hundred thirty-five new homes were constructed in Tampa, down from 1,008 the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Tampa are health care, educational services, and finance and insurance. For men, it is construction, professional, scientific, and technical services, and accommodation and food services. The average travel time to work is about 23 minutes. More than 25.4% of Tampa residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 9.2%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Tampa is 11.8%, which is greater than Florida's average of 11.3%.

The percentage of Tampa residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 41.8%, is less than the national average but more than the state average. Abundant Life Assembly of God Church, Florida Tampa Mission and Most Holy Redeemer Church are among the churches located in Tampa. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church.

Tampa is home to the Parkers Railroad Station and the Drew Station Railroad Station as well as Ybor City Museum State Park and American Legion Playground. Shopping centers in the area include Northgate Shopping Center, Old Hyde Park Village Shopping Center and Benttree Plaza Shopping Center. Visitors to Tampa can choose from Backstage Restaurant & Lounge, Baymont Tampa Busch Gardens and Budget Inn for temporary stays in the area.